In this episode of Creative Guts, co-hosts Becky Barsi and Joe Acone sit down with Theo Martey, Ghanaian-born artist and founder of the Akwaaba Ensemble.
In this episode of Creative Guts, co-hosts Becky Barsi and Joe Acone sit down with Theo Martey, Ghanaian-born artist and founder of the Akwaaba Ensemble.
From vibrant performances and hands-on workshops to his role as New Hampshire Artist Laureate, Theo shares how West African rhythms, storytelling, and the spirit of welcome have guided his artistic journey. The conversation explores Theo’s work in education, his passion for collaboration, and how music can build bridges across cultures and communities.
Learn more about Theo at https://theomartey.wixsite.com/theomartey, and follow Akwaaba Ensemble at https://www.instagram.com/akwaabaensemble/ and
https://www.facebook.com/AkwaabaEnsemble. Also listen on Spotify here: "Akwaaba" Welcome Home and Jei Elaaja Wo (Lost in the World).
Listen to this episode wherever you listen to podcasts or on our website www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Discord. Subscribe to our Substack at creativegutspod.substack.com.
If you love listening, consider making a donation to Creative Guts! Our budget is tiny, so donations of any size make a big difference. Learn more about us and make a tax deductible donation at www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com.
Thank you to our friends at Art Up Front Street Studios and Gallery in Exeter, NH and the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts in Rochester, NH for their support of the show!
[INTRODUCTION]
[0:00:00] BB: I'm Becky Barsi.
[0:00:01] JA: And I'm Joe Acone.
[0:00:02] BB & JA: And you're listening to Creative Guts.
[0:00:18] BB: Hey, Joe.
[0:00:18] JA: Hi, Becky.
[0:00:20] BB: How are you doing today, Joe?
[0:00:21] JA: Good. My voice is a little hoarse. But I'm excited to introduce our interview with Theo Martey, a talented musician and teacher who brings West African music into communities and classrooms within New Hampshire and beyond.
[0:00:34] BB: Recognized as New Hampshire's artist laureate, Theo leads Akwaaba Ensemble, a group that means welcome in Twi, and shares music and stories that connect people across cultures.
[0:00:45] JA: Theo has performed worldwide, won many awards, and inspires others through his teaching and music. We'll hear about his creative journey, what drives him, and what's next for his work. Let's get started.
[0:00:55] BB: Yeah, let's get started with this episode of Creative Guts with Theo Martey.
[INTERVIEW]
[0:01:05] BB: All right. Well, Theo Martey, welcome to Creative Guts. Thank you so much for joining us on the podcast today.
[0:01:10] TM: All right. Thank you so much for having me. Yeah.
[0:01:12] BB: For listeners who may not know anything about you, can you begin by introducing yourself and telling us a little bit about what it is that you do as a creative?
[0:01:22] TM: All right. My full name is Theophilus Nii Martei Martey. And stage name, which is Emperor T-Jiga. I wear different hats when it comes to their artistic field. Musician, drummer, dancer, choreographer, recording artist, producer, and teaching artist.
[0:01:48] BB: Wow, that's a big resume. When did you start creating?
[0:01:57] TM: I will say I started creating my own project at the age of 10, back in Ghana in West Africa, where I grew up. Before that, as a young fella, I always have a passion for rhythm and singing. Right after that, I started to create my own rhythm sounds and stuff back in Ghana before I joined the National Theater. Actually, before I joined the National Theater of Ghana, I was working with the youth ensemble in Accra, where I grew up, in Bukom, Accra before I joined another ensemble called the Shidaa Cultural Troop. More advanced and older. And from there, I move into the National Theater of Ghana.
[0:02:54] BB: Wow. I have so many questions already. The National Theater of Ghana, were you acting? Were you creating music? What was your role as part of the National Theater of Ghana?
[0:03:08] TM: Performing with the National Theater, I started as a drummer and dancer at the National Theater of Ghana.
[0:03:16] BB: And because you had started at 10, you must have had some other influence in your life as well. What was it that just made you want to be drumming or dancing?
[0:03:26] TM: In the community where I grew up, you always have to be busy doing something. Either you took music, you took dancing, or you could do soccer, or you can do boxing. Kids are always busy, and you have to pick something to keep you out of trouble. For me, my passion was in the rhythm. I love rhythm. In the community, there's always music and dance going on in the community. I look up to an ensemble called Wulomei band. They play all the traditional – I mean, they play traditional music influenced with the Western instruments, like guitars and bass guitars, and stuff, and drum sets, and stuff. I started on listening to them and watching them, and that's how everything started from there. I fell in love with the sound, music, that they play. Yeah.
[0:04:35] BB: Wow. Did you have to audition for the national theater or other groups that you were a part of early on, or were you invited? How did that process –
[0:04:43] TM: I will start from when I was around 8 years old. In the community, before I would join the youth ensemble called the African Personality, the African personality, the person that started the ensemble saw me. I'm always interested. Looking, and watching, and listening. And when he was starting the ensemble, this youth ensemble, he asked me, he approached me, and was like, "All right, we're starting a youth ensemble. Would you like to, I mean, try?" Yeah, right away. And I was picked to join the youth ensemble, because I love singing. And seeing me singing a few times. Right away, he asked me to join the youth ensemble, and everything started and picked from there.
[0:05:42] BB: Wow. It really just started so early on, and then you just hit the ground running. You've been performing your whole life?
[0:05:49] TM: I have been performing, yeah, for a very long time of my life. I enjoyed it. I enjoy and I love it. It's like a passion. I love –
[0:06:01] JA: I can't help myself but now think about that experience. You're in Manchester, New Hampshire now.
[0:06:07] TM: Yes.
[0:06:09] JA: Can you walk us through a little bit of that transition period? How long have you been in America, New Hampshire?
[0:06:17] TM: I'll say to total, I've been to United States 27 years. But I've been to Manchester, New Hampshire for 25 years.
[0:06:30] BB: Most of the time has been in – Ghana to Manchester, New Hampshire, that's a big jump.
[0:06:36] TM: Actually, it was not Ghana to New Hampshire. Ghana to New York City first. My father, who brought me here in 1998, he settled on the Bronx. That's where I came first. I started in New York. And then from there, I wanted to find a place where it would be more less busy. I came to New Hampshire and visit, and I decided, "Okay, this will be my place." I didn't even know whether I'm I was going to be here for that long, but I was like, "Okay, I like what I see. The place is nice and calm, trees, beautiful –
[0:07:23] BB: More trees than Brooklyn.
[0:07:25] TM: Right. I was like, "Okay, all right. I'm going to settle over here and see if I can also share my music and culture with the people in the community.
[0:07:39] JA: There's obviously really vibrant music scene in New York. Did you ever catch any of that while you were there?
[0:07:44] TM: In New York, yes, I did. While I was in New York, I would travel to UK, work with ensemble over there called Brekete, drumming and dance ensemble. I did not do much performing in New York City, but rather travel out of the country in order to do my work and come back. Yeah.
[0:08:07] BB: Tell us a little bit about – I mean, you were part of these other groups and ensembles, but how did you develop the Akwaaba Ensemble and develop your own group?
[0:08:19] TM: Akwaaba Ensemble, the idea came while I was on tour with the Brekete ensemble in London. We had a performance, just friends of mine, beside the Brekete. Let's say a side gig. And I called a couple of friends, and then we did the gig. And then they were, "Oh, what is your name? What is the name of the ensemble?" That's where the name comes right away. I was like, "Oh, Akwaaba Ensemble." And ever since, it stuck right there.
And then when I came back to New York, it was lingering in my head before I moved to New Hampshire. And then when I moved to New Hampshire, I registered the name, the Akwaaba Ensemble. And then I started to go to schools. Actually, first, before I would go to schools, I started with the Boys & Girls Club doing a solo teaching and just a volunteer thing, so I can get myself out there so people will know who I am and all that. It started with the Boys & Girls Club. And then I started off to go out at schools and share in the community first before I get to the schools and then extend my reach to other places. Yeah.
[0:09:45] BB: And I did a little digging. And so Akwaaba means Twi. Or in Twi, it means welcome. And then in the language Twi.
[0:09:54] TM: Yes. Akwaaba, the word welcome is in the Twi language of the Asante tribe of Ghana. And I'm from Accra. I'm from the city. And the community that use the word Akwaaba, they're up going towards the north of Ghana. The name is very catchy. When you come to Ghana, we say welcome, you say akwaaba. That's right away, I was like, "Okay, this is a name that will be easier for people to pronounce. And it means something to all the people." Yeah.
[0:10:37] JA: It's a really nice invitation to think of, because I'm visualizing your experience coming to New Hampshire. You're new here, but you're telling people welcome.
[0:10:47] TM: Right.
[0:10:48] JA: That's kind of lovely.
[0:10:49] TM: Because I want everybody to feel welcome when I'm teaching. I don't want you to feel like you have too much tension and pressure on you. When you feel welcome, everything becomes easier for you to involve.
[0:11:05] JA: Sure. Did that message help you start to make connections and pull more people into your ensemble?
[0:11:12] TM: It did. It did. I was using the name as a solo artist before I started to invite some of the folks that I've played with in the past, in UK, and also in Ghana, because some of the musicians also travel out of Ghana, and they came here. Now, when I started the ensemble and I get gigs, organize gigs, I start to invite everybody to join in for performances.
[0:11:42] BB: That's great. If you had to describe what the performances are like, what is Akwaaba if you were to go and see Akwaaba? Can you describe that?
[0:11:54] TM: Okay. Akwaaba produce very high energetic performances. When it come to drumming, top-notch. When it come to dancing, very high energy. And when it come to singing, too, very beautiful, melodically sound as well. Together, Akwaaba become a group that people in New Hampshire wanted to see. And when you hear the name, "Akwaaba is playing here. Akwaaba is playing there," you like to come and see the Akwaaba.
[0:12:31] BB: Yeah. The first time I think I saw the ensemble perform was I think some collaboration at Philips Exeter Academy with Allison Duke. And I know Randy Armstrong, he also does some work with you. And then a couple of years back, your group came to the Derryfield School, and it was the kickoff to a very important day at Derryfield called Head's Holiday, which is always a very spirited kind of surprise day off for our students. And your group came in with so much energy and excitement and enthusiasm, and it set this fantastic tone of joy for the day.
And so seeing all the different places that your group performs across the state and the country, and how much passion and energy and joy and culture, and being able to celebrate kind of the history of maybe African dance and performance and drumming with a community that doesn't see that as often. And so it's so exciting to see that. Gosh, it's just – how has that kind of influenced or changed over time? And maybe how has Akwaaba, the ensemble, changed over time?
[0:13:44] TM: Changing in the way of progressing, I would say. From the beginning, it was bumpy roads, I would say. It was a bumpy road. It took five years for people to understand what I'm here to do or what I'm here to offer. It was not as easy. But I was like, "Okay." I keep pushing the idea, pushing the idea that it has to pick. Because you come into a place, people don't know who you are. You have to introduce yourself. But introducing yourself in a way of connecting with the community, too. Okay?
Connecting with the community, you got to go to events, chat with people, and share cards and stuff. Yeah, that's where everything started, too, sharing cards and connecting with the other community people. Some part was challenging, because when people don't know what you have to offer, it's like, "Okay, we don't know you." But I did not give the idea of, "Okay, I'm here to share the culture of Ghana and the music of Ghana with the community of New Hampshire and New England as a whole." I keep pushing the idea until I was like, "Okay, now I have to extend to different places to make sure, okay, people here and people understand what I have to offer as well."
I applied through the New Hampshire Arts Council. And they had me on the roster. From there, that's when I got introduced to other places like schools to do school visits, school performances, school residencies. And from there, it just kept going. The idea was gradually growing. Yeah, that's where everything started. It was not as easy as now it is. But it was a bumpy road before we get to that stage. Yeah.
[0:16:22] BB: Sure.
[0:16:22] JA: I imagine. Yeah. Just like gradual upward momentum. Stumbling blocks here and there. Making your way up. That's awesome. I'm curious if you're sharing the culture of African music with New Hampshire, how has New Hampshire's culture influenced you at all, if any?
[0:16:41] TM: New Hampshire culture. If I can say something about New Hampshire culture, it's more relaxed and laidback, I could say. I'm kind of like a laid-back person, too. So, I sink right in. Right.
[0:16:58] BB: It's definitely not New York City. That's for sure.
[0:17:00] TM: Yeah, no. The city life is busy. But in New Hampshire, it's more laid back here. We don't have the noisy things and all that is going on in other places, like cities. I was able to adjust to it right away. And now I could say I'm a New Hampshire person.
[0:17:26] JA: Yeah. It's so funny, too, because I've heard people describe Manchester as the big city, which is so crazy to me.
[0:17:30] BB: Right. It's just this little blip.
[0:17:32] JA: I know, yeah.
[0:17:33] BB: Exactly.
[0:17:34] TM: I mean, comparing to conquered and – I mean, Portsmouth. I would say Portsmouth is even busier than Manchester.
[0:17:43] JA: The traffic.
[0:17:44] TM: Yeah.
[0:17:47] BB: You really have not only developed this amazing group of performers, but you, in turn, just became a teacher naturally because of this process. I think one of the most exciting things about watching the Akwaaba Ensemble is you invite people to get up on stage and to bang on those drums and to help them to develop their own rhythm as well. What do you hope students or participants take away from your experience?
[0:18:15] TM: I like the participants to take home, first, something that brings them joy, happiness, and also something that they will remember for many years to come. I like to plant a memory in their brain or in their minds. By sharing or having participant try a drum, something that they've never like experienced. And so in that time, they get to explore and have a good time in something that a lot of people remember for many years.
[0:19:01] JA: Yeah. I learned too recently that you have your own solo music career.
[0:19:06] TM: Mm-hmm. Yes.
[0:19:07] JA: Can you talk a little bit about that?
[0:19:09] TM: As a solo artist, I record Afrobeat music, focusing in different area, from – even it has the background of the authentic African feel, it's a different side with the Western instruments and all that. I sing in English pigeon, which is we use that. We call it the broken English in Africa that we all in Africa understand. And I use my local language, which is the Dega. I blend all of it in my songs as a solo artist.
And for seven years, I've been doing that part of my – I mean, part of music. And it's getting good response out there in Ghana and other part of Africa as well. And it's great addition for me to add part of my work as well.
[0:20:17] JA: Yeah, I love music. I feel like I have music playing in my classroom constantly. And I also wouldn't profess to be any kind of expert in any way, shape, or form. But I suspect, and correct me if I'm wrong, that Afro beats are in like a bit of a renaissance right now, right? It comes up a lot in pop culture recently.
[0:20:38] TM: Yeah. Right now, I would say that Afrobeat is what is going on in the world right now, right? And pop culture, taking it from Afrobeat, also from Africa. Whenever you hear something, there's one or two beat or something that is in the pop culture coming from Afrobeat. And Afrobeat is from Africa.
[0:21:10] JA: Yeah, absolutely.
[0:21:12] TM: Ghana, Nigeria, and also Siera Leone, and Liberia, and all of those places. Yeah.
[0:21:18] JA: Yeah. I feel like I can visual – whatever the auditory version of visualize in my head, kind of what Afrobeats laid on the backs of tracks of like a lot of popular songs. Who are you listening to?
[0:21:33] TM: For me, I like old. Let's say, for example, I would listen to Fela Kuti, one of the pioneers of the Afrobeat who brought it out to the world. And a lot of people heard about the Afrobeat. And I also listen to Youssou N'Dour. And then I also listen to Salif Keita from Mali. And now the new generation, I listen to Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido. And on the female side, I listen to Angélique Kidjo, Yemi Alade, and Tiwa Savage, and Tems. And those are the –
[0:22:16] BB: Yeah, a lot of inspiration there. That's fantastic. What do you wish people better understood about your life as an artist, as a musician?
[0:22:27] TM: I want people to understand me as an artist. Just to look at me as the musician or as the artist. Because I wear many hats that I can't say, "Oh, okay. You can just pinpoint me on this side or this side." Because I go abroad, and I do different things.
[0:22:54] BB: Yeah. You, also, being the founder of Akwaaba, too, you're managing people. You're managing events and dates. You are also a business person on top of being a musician. And you've got your club ensemble, and you have your solo career. So, you're juggling a lot. And you're a parent, too. There's all that as well. I imagine your days are very busy.
[0:23:19] TM: Busy. Yes. Managing the Akwaaba is a double shift, from administration to, I mean, organizing. And being part of the performance or leading the ensemble, it's a lot on the field. Yeah.
[0:23:43] JA: It's funny, we hear a lot about how artists don't want to be put in a box. This is what you do, you know?
[0:23:51] TM: That's your vision. Nobody can look at it for you. Your vision is in your head or is in your eyes, whatever you can see. You can see farther than the person that you're telling them to look at it, you know? But whatever you want to create is inside you. As an artist, you're a creator. You can't tell someone to create. But the person would not be able to create it better than you can.
[0:24:19] JA: Right.
[0:24:21] BB: What have been some of challenges that you've had to overcome in the development of your career as an artist and performer?
[0:24:30] TM: I mean, sometime we have some up and downs. And the up and downs is what I have a challenge with. Let's say organizing and then dealing with artists. Yes.
[0:24:45] BB: Managing other artists is hard.
[0:24:47] TM: It's tough. And whenever you're collaborating with artists, some of them have their own ideas too, with their egos, too. You're telling them to settle in the way to work as an ensemble. Sometime, because they have their own different ideas, they want to get out there and show to the audience that they're the big person. They are the big boss on the field. But remember, when we're working as a team, we all work together. But that's my challenge with artists. Because some of them, they're great musician, great players, but they like to be seen as well. And sometimes, it throws sand into the whole thing. Yeah.
[0:25:53] JA: Yeah. There's no magic trick. It's just a lot of work and see what happens, right? Yeah. If you figure it out, let me know.
[0:26:04] TM: All right. Definitely.
[0:26:06] BB: This is kind of a wild question. Let's say you won a ton of money, lottery. You won multi-million dollars. What would you do? How would things change for you and for the Akwaaba Ensemble and your solo career?
[0:26:21] TM: First, I'm still going to stay humble, either money or no money. But then create platforms for other musicians so they can also –
[0:26:37] BB: Yeah, opportunities.
[0:26:39] TM: Exactly. Create opportunity for other artists to be seen out there. Okay. Talking on that part, it's something that I already – even with not a lot of money, I started an organization back in Ghana called the Gadangme Music Festival. Something that I do every year, once a year. Create a platform, stage for other upcoming artists. If I ever win money, if I ever win the lottery, the same thing that I'm going to do.
[0:27:19] BB: You go back to Ghana every year to do that.
[0:27:20] TM: Yes. A matter of fact, I'm going back in December, end of December. And the festival will start January 10th. It's something that I do once a year.
[0:27:35] BB: Wow. And has it grown over time?
[0:27:38] TM: This is my fourth edition coming up.
[0:27:43] BB: Excellent.
[0:27:43] TM: Yeah. And it's been great. But it's always funding, the issue.
[0:27:50] BB: Yeah. Boy, it's a lot. Here's a clip of some music from the Akwaaba Ensemble.
[MUSIC BREAK]
[0:28:57] BB: I think we've really gotten to a place where we can start our rapid-fire questions. Sound good?
[0:29:02] TM: Yeah.
[0:29:03] BB: All right. What other artist has influenced you the most?
[0:29:09] TM: I will say Randy Armstrong. Randy Armstrong has been my mentor and role model since moving to New Hampshire. And to be able to link me into the New Hampshire State Arts Council and other places, I would say the gate opened up for me in New Hampshire.
[0:29:36] BB: How did you connect with Randy Armstrong in the first place? I know this is not rapid-fire anymore, but that's okay. We want to know.
[0:29:44] TM: Randy Armstrong and I met at the Manchester Boys & Girls Club.
[0:29:48] BB: No kidding.
[0:29:49] TM: Yes.
[0:29:50] BB: Early on. That's great.
[0:29:52] TM: Yes. Randy was visiting every year, I mean, to do some residency of the Boys & Girls Club. So when I moved down here to Manchester, I mean, I wanted a place to go and you know share what I do. So I started doing the volunteer work at the Boys & Girls Club. And then one session that Randy came to do drumming residency. And right away, we connected. And then from there, we started to collaborate together, and the rest is history. And we've been together for I would say 20-something years now.
[0:30:43] BB: Fantastic.
[0:30:44] TM: Yeah. Randy is also my kid's godfather.
[0:30:49] BB: Godfather? Oh my gosh, that's great. Love that. Side note, love teaching Theo. He's a lot of fun. Little Theo. He's a great kiddo.
[0:31:02] JA: What is your favorite color?
[0:31:04] TM: My favorite color, I would say blue.
[0:31:09] BB: Very good.
[0:31:10] JA: Good answer. Good answer.
[0:31:10] BB: Your favorite scent?
[0:31:13] TM: Scent, like lavender?
[0:31:14] BB: Oh, that's a good one.
[0:31:17] JA: Favorite sound. That's tough for a musician.
[0:31:20] BB: Yeah.
[0:31:21] TM: Favorite sound? Wow. Sound. I would say – oh, boy.
[0:31:31] BB: It's okay. I mean, you're surrounded by them, and you're creating them all day. So maybe you don't even have one.
[0:31:37] TM: Yeah. That one, it's not as difficult, but then it's difficult. You know? Right. I have a favorite sound. I love soothing sound. Sound that make you relax.
[0:31:55] BB: Yeah. Not the sounds of a city, perhaps.
[0:31:58] TM: No. A sound that will make you relax.
[0:32:01] BB: Nice. What is your favorite texture or touch?
[0:32:07] TM: Rigid. Something.
[0:32:08] BB: Something bumpy? Yeah.
[0:32:11] TM: Yeah.
[0:32:11] JA: If you could learn to play any new instrument, what would it be?
[0:32:15] TM: Saxophone.
[0:32:16] BB: Oh, nice.
[0:32:18] TM: Yes.
[0:32:19] BB: Most inspiring location you've ever traveled to. I mean, clearly, your home country gives you a lot of inspiration.
[0:32:27] TM: Right. Right. Yeah. I mean, I would say Ghana. But, I mean, I'm still in the lingering of exploring other places, too, in the world. Let's say Asia and other places, too. For now, I'll take Ghana.
[0:32:50] JA: Beautiful. What's the last new thing you've learned?
[0:32:54] BB: Handpan.
[0:32:55] BB: Handpan. What is that? Can you describe that to us?
[0:32:58] TM: Handpan pan is – Trinidad and Tobago, they have the steel pan.
[0:33:03] BB: Yes.
[0:33:04] TM: This one is like a round bowl that you can use your fingertips to play.
[0:33:10] JA: Yeah. It looks like a UFO.
[0:33:12] TM: Yeah, UFO. Yeah. That's a new – it's a percussion. I feel like I can do all of it. And I got one for myself, and now I bring it to school, too.
[0:33:25] BB: Fantastic. And this is our clincher question. If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice, what would you tell them?
[0:33:34] TM: I will tell my younger self that always keep your focus and respect, and always never give up.
[0:33:51] BB: Yeah. Yeah. That's perfect.
[0:33:55] JA: Love it.
[0:33:56] BB: Well, Theo, thank you so much for taking the time to be on Creative Guts podcast today. It's been really great to learn more about Akwaaba, but also just your background. And I'm just so excited for other people in our community and beyond to be able to experience your performances because they really are so resonant and joyful. And I'm so glad to finally meet you.
[0:34:20] TM: Glad to be here. Thank you so much for having me, Becky and Joe.
[0:34:24] BB: Thank you.
[0:34:25] JA: Thanks for coming.
[0:34:26] BB, JA & TM: Show us your creative guts.
[0:34:33] BB: All right. Wow. Huge thank you to Theo for being on Creative Guts today. It was exciting to finally get to meet Theo in person after seeing him perform on multiple occasions. What are your thoughts, Joe?
[0:34:45] JA: I thought he was awesome. It's interesting. We mentioned during the interview that we got the pleasure of seeing the Akwaaba Ensemble perform at our school. And it was such a high-energy, exciting performance. It got the kids up out of their seats. Everybody was dancing. It's such an interesting contrast between that. And he was very chill. We were just sitting here. Just a very relaxed conversation. The contrast between all the animation he brings to his performances and sort of the chill vibe he puts out any day.
[0:35:14] BB: Yeah. And I love that he chose New Hampshire as the place to settle and to live and to build his career and his network because it is "a chill environment". It is a very nice, relaxing place. And certainly, very different energy compared to being in New York City. But he's been able to foster and build a really robust community of performers. And so exciting that he's able to share that with our community, but so many others around New England and beyond.
[0:35:42] JA: Definitely.
[0:35:43] BB: I was also so excited because I didn't really know until I started doing a little digging into his background about his solo career and how he also has this very different style and background as a solo performer.
[0:35:55] JA: Yeah, I love how we're able to – you and I are both visual artists. I love being able to have these conversations around creativity with folks who practice different mediums and people who are performers. And it's such a pleasure, because you hear basically the same thing you hear all the time, but echoed back to you in a totally different way.
[0:36:12] BB: Yeah. And he's got a lot to juggle. I mean, certainly with having a large group of performers that he works with and running a business, and really multiple businesses. Just between the ensemble and his solo career, he's got a lot to organize. And he does it with a really nice cadence and calm. And so to see a very different type of energy on stage is really neat.
[0:36:36] JA: Yeah, absolutely. You can learn more about Theo Martey and the Akwaaba Ensemble by checking out the links and more in the episode description and on our website, creativegutspodcast.com.
[0:36:46] BB: You can also find the Creative Guts podcast on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Discord. If you're not on the social medias, but you want to stay in the know about all things that we're doing, subscribe to our newsletter. We are on Substack. And you can find the link to sign up on our website.
[0:37:02] JA: This episode is sponsored in part by the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts. Thank you to all of our friends in Rochester and their support of the show.
[0:37:10] BB: As a reminder, your engagement with Creative Guts can make a huge difference. Whether it is through a donation, review, interaction with our content on social media, or even purchasing some merch, we really appreciate you.
[0:37:22] JA: Thank you for tuning in. We'll be back next Wednesday with another episode of Creative Guts.
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